highway
Americannoun
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a main road, especially one between towns or cities.
the highway between Los Angeles and Seattle.
- Synonyms:
- interstate, thruway, freeway, expressway
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any public road or waterway.
-
any main or ordinary route, track, or course.
noun
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a public road that all may use
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law a main road, esp one that connects towns or cities
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a main route for any form of transport
-
a direct path or course
Etymology
Origin of highway
before 900; Middle English heyewei, Old English heiweg. See high, way 1
Compare meaning
How does highway compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
A highway is a busy road with many lanes. Highways are usually the quickest route for driving between one city and another. Highways were originally built to connect cities and towns, and since they're wide and have high speed limits, they decreased the travel time. Highways are always considered public land, and they're usually maintained by the individual state. The Old English precursor was heahweg, "main street" or "main way." The word high has often been used to mean "main" or "major," especially when describing a street.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A recent visit involved a multi-hour drive on a dark desert highway where grazing camels far outnumbered people.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026
Just last week, he proposed a bill that would name a Texas highway after him.
From BBC • May 20, 2026
The proposed fees might also do little to plug the highway funding gap, which has struggled for decades to raise enough funds from gasoline taxes, critics say.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026
The government's highway administration department said roads were blocked in at least 22 places around the country.
From Barron's • May 16, 2026
On the opposite side of the highway, at least a half dozen police cars with flashing lights clustered on the shoulder.
From "Storm Runners" by Roland Smith
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
